Seeing as I needed something to do at my internship today I decided to write a farewell to Busch Stadium, which is scheduled for demolition in the next few weeks.  Well, my ode to Busch ended up running a bit long and really was more of an ode to the Cardinals.  As such, I've decided to break this up into smaller pieces. 

Once again... my apoligies if you're still bored by baseball.

With the Cardinals’ elimination from the post-season St. Louis fans are not only lamenting the loss of the 2005 team but also the imminent demise of the nearly 40-year-old Busch Stadium.  Busch Memorial Stadium (or Busch II) is slated for demolition in early November and while the 2005 Cards had hopes of sending it off with a World Series Championship it was not be.

So before I take down the red and blue decorations and replace them with something a bit more fall-like I’d like to share some of my memories of the stadium and the St. Louis Cardinals.  Again, if you don’t like baseball and find this incredibly boring or silly read no further…

It seems that most fans have mixed feelings about a new stadium… I have often read Busch described as a cookie-cutter stadium… I’m still not positive as to whether they’re referring to the shape or the fact that it was built around the same time as other 60’s-era stadiums such as Three-Rivers, the Super-dome etc—in essence generic. 

If there is one thing I remember about Busch Stadium it’s that in the summer it’s always hot!  Not just hot from the good baseball being played inside but also from the fact that there is no breeze.  Some of this is due to the sweltering heat of a St. Louis summer, but Busch is also known for not allowing much of a breeze.  As one reporter described it during the first All-Star game it hosted in 1966… “It sure does hold in the heat.”  It was particularly noticeable to me this summer… As I sat sweating in the heat of a July night I looked up to see the many pennant flags, adorning the top of the stadium, flapping in the wind.  They were almost taunting us with the possibility of relief but never quite reached the inside of the big bowl.  Anyway, I think you get the point.  This is at least one thing the new stadium will remedy. It should make for a much more comfortable experience for fans and players alike with its open design. 

MY FIRST GAME

I don’t remember many details about the first baseball game I went to in St. Louis.  I know that I was a big fan.  It’s hard not to be when you come from a long line of baseball nuts… As near as I can tell I’m a 6^th generation fan!  I mean everyone in my family talked baseball when we got together.  So its no wonder that I have been a Cardinals fan for as long as I can remember.  Heck, in kindergarten my favorite t-shirt had a picture of Fredbird on it.

My cousin, Andy whom I adored, was a huge fan.  His room was adorned with Cardinals memorabilia.  I was always jealous of him because he would get to go to games on Meet and Greet days and would get all kinds of autographs from my favorite players, Ozzie Smith, Terry Pendelton, Vince Coleman, Willie McGee and so on.

I must have been about 5 or 6 when my Aunt Carol and Uncle Harold took me to my first baseball game.  I’m sure Andy went as well, but I don’t really remember.  I can’t tell you who played, who won, or if I even saw some famous bit of Cardinals history.  I can tell you that it was one of the most exciting things I had ever done at the time.  I remember walking through the tunnel to our seats and seeing the bright green of the field below and being utterly amazed.  The players, in bright blue uniforms, who weren’t the Cards but may have been the Expos (?), tossing the ball back and forth before the game began.  I still have a very clear picture of that first glimpse of the field some twenty years later. 

As I said I don’t remember much else about the game.  I remember cheering wildly each time a player did something… I don’t think at the time I could really tell which team did what, I vaguely remember my Aunt telling me that I was cheering for the wrong team at one point.  Heck, that’s something I still do on accident.   I also remember the people around me smiling at my excitement and telling me what a good little fan I was.  

Although I don’t remember many other details I can tell you that going to a Cardinals’ game was something I always looked forward to in the summer.  Donning my red shirt and going with my family to cheer wildly for the team was, and still is, a tremendous thrill.  I especially realized it when I moved to the Detroit area and attended my first game at nearly empty Tigers Stadium.  It was a bit of a disappointment to say the least.  Although, you really can’t blame Detroit fans for being disheartened, 10 years plus of losing tend to damper your enthusiasm.  Of course, that makes the whole Cubs thing all the more puzzling… but that’s another entry!

MY FIRST WORLD SERIES 

Since I was born the Cards have made 4 World Series appearances, winning one in 1982.  Seeing that I was barely 4 at the time, I obviously don’t remember much about it.  I do, however, remember the 1985 series against the Kansas City Royals.  At the time we were living in Ponca City, Oklahoma.  Both my grandparents came to visit because it was near my birthday.  My Mom’s parents were from the St. Louis area and my Dad’s were from Kansas.  My Dad’s Dad brought me an official George Brett bat, which, while I was excited to get the bat I remember being sorely disappointed that it was from a Kansas City Royals player.  I don’t remember what my Mom’s parents bought me… I do remember playing a little ball in the backyard with my grandpa.  I was, of course, a Cardinal.   The World Series was on that night and that it was game 7.  If the Cardinals won we were going to release red balloons in the air in celebration.  Well, again, can’t remember any details of the game, I just know they lost and that I was very, very disappointed.  Apparently, they had a fairly famous meltdown and it turned very ugly during the game…  Anyway, despite the loss we still released the balloons; after all, like all good St. Louis fans we were consoled by the fact that at least it was a great run.   

1987

The next World Series appearance by the Cardinals was in 1987.  We had moved back to the St. Louis area and the Cards were having another great year.  I actually remember following the team for most of the year.  I think I had even collected baseball cards, which I traded with the boys in the neighborhood, in-between backyard games of baseball and pickle. 

The Cardinal’s theme song that year was the Starship classic, “The Heat is On” (I think).  That fall everyone in school was buzzing about the Cardinals’ return to the World Series.  We had red day to show our support.  One of our 3^rd grade teachers, Mr. Fahey, even wrote a song about the Cardinals’, which one of the St. Louis news channels came out and did a story on. 

But alas, the Minnesota Twins beat the Cardinals in 7 games—a disappointing end to another great year by Whitey and the boys!  We may not have won the World Championship but at least we were the National League champs.  And as we say every fall … We’ll get ‘em next year! 

But we didn’t…

I did get to the opening game in 1987.  I remember that much more clearly.  My Grandma and Grandpa took me to the game.  The packed stadium was adorned with red, white, and blue… And as always the crowd cheered wildly as the players took the field.  My childhood hero Ozzie Smith took to his position with one of his famous back flips.  Something I’ll never forget... 

Although I followed the team all year we didn’t make it to another the World Series until the very, very disappointing 2004 appearance against the Boston Red Sox. 

Anyway, enough for now... more tomorrow! And don't act like you're NOT thrilled!